Pre-existing Medical Conditions

Having pre-existing medical conditions doesn't mean you can't get travel insurance. It simply means that you need to dig a little deeper to find the best trip cover for your pre-existing health condition and your budget. Adding cover for your pre-existing condition means you can still be eligible for emergency medical and hospital services which arise as a result of your current health issues.

What is a pre-existing condition?

As the name suggests, a pre-existing medical condition is a condition that exists at the time, or before you purchase your travel insurance.

Whether or not you need to declare a broken arm from two years ago, or that you're living with diabetes will depend on your chosen insurer. Each insurer has different rules for what is considered an existing medical condition, so it's important to pay attention to any probing questions around medical conditions to determine what you need to declare.

Typically, a pre-existing condition includes any diagnosed medical, physical or mental condition, defect, disease or illness that you are aware of and have sought treatment for in the last one to five years. Insurers' definitions also include common chronic issues like asthma, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, as well as any lifetime occurrence of more serious issues like heart attacks, strokes, or cancers. Check your insurers' policy wording to be sure!

Should I declare My Medical conditions?

Some insurers do automatically cover some common, low-risk conditions without you having to declare them. This is dependent on you meeting their criteria for automatically-covered conditions - so check the policy wording carefully.

If a condition isn't auto covered, absolutely declare it. It may be tempting to not disclose medical conditions to your insurer to save time or reduce the cost of taking out travel insurance. However, if you put in a medical claim which the doctors say is related to your pre-existing condition, and you aren't covered for that condition, your claim may be void and you could be left with eyewatering medical bills!

Do I have to pay extra to cover my medical conditions?

Good news - many travel insurance brands automatically cover a range of minor medical conditions free of charge. Often common illnesses like asthma, diabetes and high cholesterol are often covered without an additional fee. Whether or not you need to declare them will depend on the insurer, when you were diagnosed, whether your condition is stable, and if you have any other related conditions - check the policy wording to be sure.

Other medical conditions such as autoimmune, brain, cardiovascular, heart or respiratory and lung conditions will require a medical assessment in order to obtain cover. Where cover can be offered you will often have the option to pay an additional premium or have the condition(s) excluded.

How do I declare my medical conditions?

If your condition isn't automatically covered by your insurer, you will be required to fill out a medical assessment form. Many brands have introduced online medical screenings where you can answer a couple of questions about your condition and find out immediately whether you can get cover and at what price. This typically occurs on the second or third page of the quote process.

The vast majority of insurers use the same medical screening software by a company called Verisk (formerly Healix) which will generate a ‘medical risk score’. Some use hybrid versions of this and a few may use a different specialist platform.

The insurer determines which level of risk they want to consider covering. They will decide whether they will cover your condition, whether they will cover you but exclude your condition, and if there is an additional premium.

Which insurers offer pre-existing medical assessments?

General Advice Warning: The contents of this article were accurate at the time of writing. Insurers change their policies from time to time, so some information may have changed. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement of your chosen insurer to understand what is covered and what isn't. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your personal circumstances.

Conditions which may not be covered

There are some conditions that insurers will not cover. This does not mean that you cannot take out travel insurance. It simply means that any claim arising from, or related to that condition will not be covered.

Conditions such as terminal illness, requiring oxygen, awaiting surgery, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, congestive heart failure and recurring pain are typically not covered.

What if I can't find cover for my medical condition?

Most insurers steer clear of serious conditions and terminal illnesses but there are specialists out there. If you're struggling to find cover for your condition, you may have luck with a specialist medical travel insurer such as AllClear. They promote that any medical condition is considered and can offer cover for any age.

Remember you can still buy travel insurance with pre-existing conditions - it just means you may not be covered for any claims related to, exacerbated by, or arising from that pre-existing medical condition without prior approval.